CHICAGO -- Somehow, Jeremy Roenick managed to grab a glimmer of the spotlight in the Western Conference finals, even though his San Jose Sharks were long ago dispatched from the NHL playoffs.
The loquacious forward raised eyebrows Thursday when he made Red Wings coach Mike Babcock a target on the "Monsters in the Morning" radio show on Comcast Sportsnet in Chicago.
When asked why he thought 47-year-old Wings blueliner Chris Chelios wasn't playing, Roenick said, "The coach just doesn't like him for some ungodly known reason. I think he's got a grudge against American players, but he does not like Chelly at all."
And there was more: "If you'd know some of the things that Babcock says to Chris Chelios, it would make your stomach churn. Just total disrespect for not even just one of the best Americans, but one of the best defensemen to ever play the game. The way he is talked to is just unacceptable. I wish I could elaborate, but that's not proper. It's just disrespectful."
After landing in Chicago on Thursday evening, we asked Babcock during a media scrum whether he had heard what Roenick said.
"I heard," Babcock said. "But I think the whole key to that statement is 'J.R. said.' Anything else?"
Ouch.
Reached via text message by ESPN.com on Thursday evening, Roenick was more diplomatic.
"My loyalty is to the Sharks," Roenick told ESPN.com. "I'm not really interested in other people's relationships. Chelly is a true professional in every sense of the word."
When asked specifically about having a grudge against Americans, the Canadian-born Babcock said, "Well, I've got two American kids. You know, I've lived here [in the U.S.] for 16 years. Raffi [U.S.-born Brian Rafalski] seems to be doing all right. [U.S.-born Brett] Lebda seems to be doing all right.
"I mean, there's lots of time right now between games. You guys [the media] have to come up with stuff. But obviously, [Roenick's] not very busy."
Rafalski, at the team's hotel in Chicago, said it was "J.R. being J.R., I guess."
Then, when asked whether being American has hurt him with Babcock, Rafalski replied: "It's really hampered my career here. He's playing me on the first line with Nick [Lidstrom]. Geez, he hates me."
Asked about how things are with Chelios, a healthy scratch through the first two games of the Western Conference finals, Babcock said we should ask the player.
"Because it doesn't matter what I think," Babcock said. "I think all players who aren't playing, I don't think anyone is ever doing cartwheels about that. But I think Chelios and I have a really good relationship. I hold him in real high regard. He's an important part of our team and has been for a long time. We bring him back year after year because we feel he's important.
"He's going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a real important guy for us. I don't know what else needs to be said."
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press had asked Chelios earlier Thursday in Detroit about J.R.'s comments. Chelios, according to St. James, began to laugh.
"How does J.R. know anything -- is he playing?" Chelios said. "The last time I talked to J.R. was a few weeks ago, and it was about his charity pool party in Vegas. I don't know what J.R. is talking about."
On Monday in Detroit, Chelios told a handful of us he understood why he was being scratched.
"I knew my situation coming into this year," Chelios said. "There's not a guy in the world that's my age that wouldn't trade spots with me in a heartbeat. So I accept it. As bad as you want to play, you stay in shape if you get your chance, hopefully for the right reasons ... but I'm very content. I couldn't be luckier to be part of this team again."